Monday, October 11, 2010

Why is it that many legacy media types are jumping ship to online media?

In an article I read today by Mark Glaser, he (Glaser) conducts an interview with the "dean of media critics" Howard Kurtz. It was announced this week that Kurtz would be leaving the Washington Post after 29 years to join Tina Brown's online only Daily Beast. Why, would a journalist/critic such as Kurtz, leave the Washington Post to join an online only media source that has been losing money since it started?

Well that just seems to be the growing trend among old fashioned journalists. Many of whom are leaving the traditional media market to join the ever growing online media market. Kurtz is quoted in the article as saying he "was enticed by the prospect of working with Brown, and helping to shape a start up."

Here's what I think. This move is definitely a blow to traditional media. Seeing a well known journalist make a move to a strictly online media source has to raise some eyebrows. In reality however I feel Kurtz has made a wise decision.

Online media is where journalism is heading. It is only a matter of time before we start seeing more and more print newspapers fade away due to lack of revenue and/or readership. As much as I wish this was not the case, it is.

Kurtz is all the wiser for making the jump now and getting his foot in the door before the proverbial herd follows. Whether or not Kurtz has success in this start up venture remains to be seen. If he does then great. If not then I'm sure there will be yet another online media source he could go to because lets face it, legacy media outlets are fading fast. Online media is quickly moving from the future to now. The only thing to ask now is who goes next?

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comments:

I agree that newspapers are suffering through a difficult time right now. Kurt is looking into the future. He has already made a name for himself and is acknowledged for his years at the Washington Post. Therefore, I think Kurtz's retirement from the Washington post really makes a statement about the extinction of newspapers. We don't have to wait for newspapers to start disappearing. They already have. Once online media finds a good way to make a profit, the public can say farewell to the newspaper.

The extinction of newspapers is coming soon. There's not much we can do about it, and that is exactly what Kurtz feels. Might as well get out before he goes under with newspapers. It's better to stay with the changing times. I respect the decision made by Kurtz. I don't think it is selfish at all, he just went with his gut feeling and wants to move forward.